The art of playing a guitar or other stringed instrument is a learned skill that requires many hours of practice in order to master. However in many instances, periodic practice of the stringed instrument in various environments such as the workplace or during travel are limited due to the instrument's large size as well as the relatively loud audible levels produced thereby. In addition, the intricate mechanisms common on most types of stringed instruments necessitates the need for special handling and storage means in order to insure no damage occurs during transportation. Guitars, mandolins, bass guitars, banjos, violins, cellos, contrabasses, and ukuleles comprise a list of stringed musical instruments which will hereinafter be referred to generally as “stringed instruments” due to their relatively similar structural design.
Stringed instrument practice devices have been developed which have attempted to simulate a conventional stringed instrument in order to facilitate the practice thereof. These practice devices heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist of familiar, expected, and obvious structural configurations. U.S. Pat. No. 6,127,615, to Rosenberg, discloses a training device for practicing rhythm hand techniques that uses a rectangular base with a plurality of tunable strings. A disadvantage of Rosenberg's device is that it provides no means for fingering hand practice or non-rhythm-hand techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 5,756,914, to Streibl, discloses a practice device which emulates only a portion (approximately 21 cm) the fret board of a stringed instrument. The '914 device requires height and tension adjustments to the strings and reconfiguration of frets to properly simulate different portions of the fret board. U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,804, to Cecchini, discloses a box-shaped device that is designed to create sound. It also provides a removable fingerboard that is stored therein. Because the '804 design deviates from the normal shape of a conventional stringed instrument neck, accurate simulation of an actual stringed instrument is not possible. U.S. Pat. No. 4,065,995, to Greer, discloses a hollow chamber which emulates a portion of a stringed instrument fret board together with a series of frets to permit a player to practice finger exercises in order to improve their finger strength. A disadvantage of Greer's design is the requirement of disassembly and restringing. Additionally, the '995 pocket size design provides limited means for holding the device while actually using the device for practice. A principle drawback of all of the aforementioned devices is that they require the use of actual strings thus necessitating the periodic adjustment and replacement thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,403,590, to Quinton, discloses a practice fingerboard with an elongated rigid body having a flat-shaped, generally rectangular cross-section, with a beveled left edge and a flat right edge. A disadvantage of the '590 design is that it deviates greatly from the normal shape of a stringed instrument neck, thus having a flat, board-shaped cross-section which diminishes the aesthetic impression of a conventional stringed instrument. A second disadvantage of the '590 design is that accurate simulation of the gripping action of the fingering hand is not possible using this type of geometric structure. The gripping action is defined as the placement of the thumb portion and palm portion of the fingering hand over the lower surface of the neck of the instrument in order to provide a foundation from which fingerings may be made on the fretboard thereof. It is well known in the stringed instrument musician art that the gripping action and thus the thumb and palm position over the lower surface of the device may change many times throughout the duration of a single song, the simulation thereof, which is not made possible using the '590 design.
Additionally, many devices for supporting the wrists while operating a computer keyboard are known. As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. No. 6,494,418 to Wolf; U.S. Pat. No. 6,219,867 to Yates; U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,020 to Smith; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,255 to Fuller, the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse computer oriented support devices for a user's wrists. Nevertheless, none of these devices teach or suggest the additional utility of a simulated stringed instrument practice device.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, there has remained a long-felt need for a stringed instrument practice device which is inexpensive, maintenance free, and easily transportable for the practice thereof when access to a conventional stringed instrument is not feasible. In addition, the utility of a conventional computer keyboard wrist rest could be further enhanced via implementation of a simulated stringed instrument practice device thereinto.